The subject application is related to commonly-assigned United States patent application entitled xe2x80x9cAir Conditioning System and Tubing Apparatus to Prevent Heat Gain due to Engine Compartment Heatxe2x80x9d which was filed on the same day as the subject application.
The subject invention generally relates to a multi-functional receiver for use in an air conditioning system of a motor vehicle. More specifically, the subject invention relates to a multi-function receiver that attenuates pressure fluctuations of a refrigerant flowing from an evaporator to a refrigerant compressor in an air conditioning system.
A receiver for an air conditioning system of a motor vehicle is known in the art. In fact, receivers have been incorporated into air conditioning systems, which also include refrigerant, a refrigerant compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, such as a thermostatic expansion valve (TXV), and an evaporator, for many years. The receiver serves as a reservoir to store the refrigerant for flow into the expansion device.
A suction line of the air conditioning system extends between the evaporator and the compressor to return the refrigerant from the evaporator, where the refrigerant is essentially a gas, through the suction line and to the compressor for re-circulation.
It is also known.in the art that, as the refrigerant flows through the suction line, the refrigerant realizes pressure fluctuations. Unfortunately, these pressure fluctuations increase noise that is present at, or near, the evaporator. Since the evaporator is on a passenger side of a front-of-dash (or xe2x80x98firexe2x80x99) wall of the vehicle, this noise is particularly noticeable to passengers of the vehicle which, for obvious reasons, is undesirable.
As a result, conventional air conditioning systems incorporate a muffler, commonly referred to as a suction gas muffler, into the suction line between the evaporator and compressor. This muffler is separate from the receiver and therefore adds overall cost and packaging complexity to these air conditioning systems. Furthermore, quality problems associated with this separate muffler, such as refrigerant leaks and reductions in system performance, are also commonplace.
Due to the inadequacies of the prior art, including those described above, it is desirable to provide a receiver that is multi-functional. More specifically, it is desirable to provide a receiver that, in addition to serving as a reservoir for the refrigerant, is able to attenuate pressure fluctuations of the refrigerant flowing from the evaporator to the compressor such that a separate suction gas muffler is no longer required.
A multi-function receiver for use in an air conditioning system is disclosed. The air conditioning system includes a refrigerant compressor, a condenser in fluid communication with an outlet of the refrigerant compressor, and an evaporator in fluid communication with an outlet of the condenser and with an inlet of the refrigerant compressor. The multi-function receiver of the subject invention attenuates pressure fluctuations of refrigerant flowing from the evaporator to the refrigerant compressor.
More specifically, the multi-function receiver includes a body housing, that includes a receiver inlet and a receiver outlet, and a cap housing that covers the body housing. The receiver inlet receives the refrigerant from the condenser and the receiver outlet sends the.refrigerant to the refrigerant compressor.
First and second refrigerant ports are defined within the cap housing. The first refrigerant port is in fluid communication with the evaporator for sending the refrigerant to the evaporator whereas the second refrigerant port is in fluid communication with the evaporator for receiving the refrigerant from the evaporator.
An internal wall of the multi-function receiver defines an outer cavity and an inner cavity. The outer cavity is in fluid communication with the receiver inlet. As such, the outer cavity receives the refrigerant from the condenser. The outer cavity is also in fluid communication with the first refrigerant port for sending the refrigerant to the evaporator. The inner cavity is in fluid communication with the second refrigerant port. As such, the inner cavity receives the refrigerant from the evaporator and attenuates the pressure fluctuations of the refrigerant that is received from the evaporator. The inner cavity is also in fluid communication with the receiver outlet for sending the refrigerant to the compressor after the pressure fluctuations have been attenuated.
Accordingly, the subject invention provides for the elimination of a separate suction gas muffler by introducing a receiver that is multi-functional. With the inner cavity, the multi-function receiver of the subject invention is able to attenuate pressure fluctuations of the refrigerant flowing from the evaporator to the compressor.